How to Help Kids from Becoming Overweight

 Obesity is one of the most prevailing problems in children today. Commonly characterized by excessive weight gain as a result of over accumulation of body fats, this medical condition is considered as the deadliest risk factor of serious diseases on kids such as heart ailments, type 2 diabetes, fatty liver, sleep apnea, bone and joint problems, as well as severe depression.



According to Plano pediatrician Dr. Carolyn Ashworth, the most painful effect of obesity on children or teens is their loss of self-esteem. Due to peer pressure and physical insecurities, lots of overweight children and teenagers are now suffering from serious depression. So if you don’t want the same thing to happen to your children, it is very important for you not to overindulge them with food.


How Can You Help Your Child from Stopping Excessive Weight Gain

Helping your child understand the importance of controlling their weight is probably the best way to stop obesity. There are several ways you can do to get this done. In accordance to the recommendations of Plano pediatrics - Dr. Carolyn Ashworth, here are the different steps to take when helping your child to control weight gain:

1. Give them healthier foods with less calories.

Let us take into consideration your kids are used to drinking soda and eating junk foods on a daily basis. While these foods are high in calories, it is advisable to replace it with healthier foods that are rich in fiber to avoid weight gain on children. These foods are also easier to digest, making your child’s metabolism works faster.

2. Encourage your child to engage more in sports.

You must take into account that lack of physical activity is one of the risk factors that promote weight gain on children. Hence, you must encourage your child to engage more in sports rather than in watching TV and playing computer games. Take note that the more active they become, the less chance they will become obese.

3. Train them to eat right amount of food at the right time.

If you think that skipping meals can help them lose weight, then you better think again. It is because skipping meals will only make them crave for food even more. In this case, you need to make sure that they eat the right amount of food at the right time. In this website, you can get more information about children’s eating disorder and learn more about children health in Plano with Dr. Carolyn Ashworth.

4. Get some professional advice.

It is not simple to motivate your kids to lose weight. To make things much easier for you, the best thing you can do is to consult a pediatrician or a registered dietician. These professionals will help you monitor your kids’ weight and provide a better diet plan for your family.